He's Choosing Her

Trisha's face contorts into an ugly mask of indignation as the full force of my outburst hits her. For a moment, she looks utterly stunned, blinking rapidly as if struggling to process the venom I've unleashed upon her. But then, her eyes narrow dangerously and her lips curl back in a snarl of rage.

"How DARE you speak to me like that, you insecure little bitch!" 

Trisha shrieks at the top of her lungs, seemingly not caring that her voice carries through the whole house. 

My eyes widen in shock at the banshee-like screams now erupting from her. Zayn throws his hands up in a placating gesture, trying in vain to calm the situation that has spiraled entirely out of control.

"Whoa whoa, let's all just take a deep breath he--"

But Trisha isn't having it. She draws in a lungful of air and continues screeching like her life depends on it.

"ZAYNIEEEEEE! YOUR PSYCHO GIRLFRIEND JUST ATTACKED ME FOR NO REASON!"

The bathroom door flies open and the next thing I know, Zayn's entire family comes barreling in - Richard and his wife in the lead with Becky, Billy, and Chris on their heels. All of them wearing matching expressions of shock and alarm at the cries that likely carried through the entire household.

Richard takes one look at the scene before him - Trisha cowering with streaks of makeup running down her face, me standing in a defensive stance like a mother bear, and Zayn looking absolutely helpless in the middle - and his brow knits furiously.

"What in the blazes is going on here?!" 

He bellows, clearly not appreciating the chaos that has unfolded. His eyes zero in on me with a mixture of anger and accusation. 

"Young lady, would you care to explain why you're making such a spectacle and reducing our guest to tears?"

The way he immediately takes Trisha's side, treating me like the aggressor, kindles the simmering coals of my fury anew. I open my mouth to try to explain, to defend myself, but Trisha beats me to it with another ear-piercing wail.

"She shoved me and verbally attacked me out of nowhere!" 

Trisha half-sobs, shooting me a look of pure venom. 

"Just because she's jealous and intimidated by mine and Zayn's history together!"

"That is NOT true!" 

I shoot back hotly, feeling my face flushing red with outrage. 

"She had her arms all over Zayn, refusing to let go of him! I was just protecting my relationship!"

Richard's wife clucks her tongue disapprovingly, shaking her head as her eyes bore disapprovingly into me. 

"Such jealousy and possessiveness is unbecoming in a young woman. Trisha was simply reminiscing with an old friend."

The sting of her judgmental words is like a lash across my face. I can't believe the way they're all taking her side automatically without even hearing me out! Desperate, I look towards the others for some semblance of support.

To my surprise, Becky pipes up fiercely. 

"Now wait just a minute! You can't seriously blame her for being upset after the way YOU introduced Trisha, Dad!" 

She levels Richard with an accusing glare, hands planted stubbornly on her hips. 

"Gushing over Trisha's 'special bond' with Zayn while completely disregarding his actual girlfriend? You basically dangled her in front of their faces like a romantic option!"

Billy nods vigorously in agreement as Becky eloquently validates all the hurt and upset I had been internalizing. I shoot her a grateful look, relieved someone is on my side.

All eyes then turn to Chris, who has been silently observing the entire meltdown unfold with his usual stoic inscrutability. He locks eyes with me for a beat, and I think I detect the faintest hint of a sympathetic nod.

The room descends into cacophony once more as everyone begins shouting over each other - parents taking Trisha's side, the sisters taking mine, Trisha continuing her sobbing theatrics. In the middle of the madness, Zayn finally manages to forcefully interject.

"ENOUGH!!" 

He booms in a voice I've never heard from him before. The sheer power and authority in his tone slices through the noise, effectively silencing everyone.

Zayn's chest heaves as the eyes of every person in the room fix on him. His shoulders are thrown back, head held high, every inch of him radiating confidence and conviction. When he speaks again, it is in a clipped, measured tone that brooks no argument.

"Let me make one thing ABSOLUTELY clear..." 

He turns first to lock eyes with a stunned Trisha, then towards his accusatory parents and extended family.

"This woman right here?" 

He wraps a possessive arm around my waist, pulling me protectively into his side. 

"She is the love of my life. My future wife and mother of my children. No past romantic dalliances, no misplaced nostalgic feelings, and certainly no temper tantrum theatrics from an ex is going to change that."

My heart soars as the power of his words, his unwavering loyalty, washes over me. This - this is the man I've fallen so deeply for. The man whose strength and integrity I can depend on no matter what chaos gets thrown our way.

As Zayn's family looks on in stunned silence, he keeps his voice steady and firm.

"So either you can choose to accept her and welcome her to be a part of this family with open arms and hearts..." 

His eyes blaze with determination. 

"Or you can opt to try pushing her away. But I promise you, that road ends with me walking away too."

The gauntlet has been thrown. The battle lines drawn. And I know without a shred of doubt after witnessing the convictions Zayn has so boldly laid bare...

That no matter who tries to come between us, our union will be indestructible against any obstacle. What did I do right to deserve this man? 

A tense silence hangs heavy in the air after Zayn's impassioned declaration. I can feel the weight of every pair of eyes boring into us, judging, scrutinizing. For a moment, it seems like no one dares to breathe, let alone react to the lines Zayn has drawn so boldly in the sand.

Zayn's arm remains firmly locked around my waist, keeping me anchored against his side. A subtle gesture, but one that conveys volumes - this man is resolute in his stance, unshakable in his commitment to me and our relationship. I draw strength from his solidity, squaring my shoulders in a show of solidarity.

At last, Zayn's mother is the one to break the loaded silence. She lets out a soft, derisive chuckle that instantly sets me on edge.

"Oh Zayn..." 

She shakes her head slowly, mouth set in an infuriatingly condescending line. 

"I had such high hopes for you. But this..." 

Her eyes flit over me with naked disdain. 

"This is unacceptable."

My breath catches in my throat as her disapproving glare cuts me to the core. Zayn tenses beside me, opening his mouth to surely unleash his own retort, but she plows ahead heedlessly. 

"Did you really think we would welcome some...some woman without a proper degree or education to be your wife?" 

She arches an immaculately groomed eyebrow. 

"To be the mother of our grandchildren and help carry on this family's prestigious legacy? And where will she take her children , the one she already has which aren't yours?"

The words are like a slap across the face, dredging up every insecurity I've battled about not being good enough. I feel Zayn's grip on me tighten almost painfully.

"Mother, that's enough--" 

He growls in a dangerously low tone.

But she barrels forward without an ounce of contrition. 

"Trisha may have been little more than a youthful dalliance, but at least she had the dedication and drive to make something of herself. She's a successful businesswoman now, a real accomplished modern woman."

My cheeks burn with humiliation and shame as Zayn's mother continues to openly fawn over Trisha's achievements while eviscerating my own self-worth with her callous words. Logically, I know I shouldn't let her arrogant classism get to me, but another nagging part of me can't help but wonder...is she right?

Am I just not good enough? Not educated or accomplished enough to be considered a suitable partner for Zayn in his family's eyes?

I'm vaguely aware of Becky and Billy trying to loudly interject on my behalf, of Richard attempting to calm the situation. But Zayn's mother simply scoffs and raises her voice to drown them all out.

"I'm sorry, Zayn, but you know how important maintaining our family's prestigious reputation is. We didn't raise you to throw away your potential on some unambitious, second handed, substandard little play--"

"ENOUGH!"

The room falls into a shocked hush once more as Zayn's powerful bellow reverberates through the air. Never before have I witnessed such a dark, furious look contort his normally warm, gentle features.

He releases me from his grasp only to whirl around and stalk right up until he's standing merely inches away from his stunned mother. For a moment, I think he's going to unleash the full force of his wrath upon her.

But instead, when he speaks, his voice is terrifyingly quiet and controlled - the tone of a man utterly disgusted with the person before him.

"How dare you..." 

He begins in a hushed, shaking tone. 

"How dare you reduce the woman I love to such vile, classist insults and stereotypes. All because she doesn't fit into your narrow, bigoted view of what makes someone a worthy, accomplished person!"

My heart clenches painfully in my chest as I watch Zayn unleash the full, raw extent of his outrage and disgust at the prejudices that have just been hurled in my face. This is him choosing me, choosing our love, over the intolerant belief system that has been so core to his family.